


Sugar Maple

by Smokedcapybara



Series: (Apprentice) Park Ranger Handsome [2]
Category: Dear Evan Hansen - Pasek & Paul/Levenson
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-10-08 14:54:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17388482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smokedcapybara/pseuds/Smokedcapybara
Summary: He kinda hoped that if he was at the same spot at the same time as before he might run into the other boy again.





	Sugar Maple

Cynthia had been surprised when Connor got up before Larry and Zoe that morning, but when he told her he planned to go hiking that morning she happily made him a quick breakfast so he could leave without running into the others and risking another fight. He made a mental note to thank her when he got back.

All the anger and stress that had washed away during his conversation with Hansen had been building back up over the week. He kinda hoped that if he was at the same spot at the same time as before he might run into the other boy again. He hadn’t been able to get those eyes out of his head the whole week.

So now he was trudging up the Trail of Torment on the off-chance he _might_ see a cute guy. He knew it was pathetic, but there was just something about Hansen that had pulled him in and wasn’t letting him go and he couldn’t bring himself to really mind.

Finally, he reached the log he’d claimed the week before and practically threw himself down on it. Pulling a water bottle and sketchbook out of his bag, he settled against the tree to wait.

He’d filled out a few pages with sketches of the trees around him - and a cluster of mushrooms he’d spotted behind the log - when he heard movement further up the path.

Hansen came into view around the tree a minute later and Connor called out to get his attention before he passed.

“Hey!” Hansen jumped and spun to face Connor with wide eyes and a hand clutching his shirt over his heart. “Sorry.” Connor cringed a little, “Hi, um… Hansen, right?”

When the other boy nodded Connor smiled and watched as he relaxed minutely.

“So-uh, how was your week?”

Hansen shrugged into himself even as his eyes seemed to flicker desperately over Connor.

“I-I-I-I-I-I-nothing interesting! Um...happened. S-s-sorry.” His eyes flinched shut and Connor felt a jolting need to soothe with no idea how.

“No-it’s-it’s ok, no need to apologize.” he tried to smile reassuringly but was pretty sure it came out more like a grimace. _What is wrong with me?_

“S-sorry.”

Connor huffed a small laugh. “Ok. Well… my week sucked.”

“Oh, sorry? Um, what-uh-what happened?”

“Nothing new, just the usual bullsh-” Connor sighed and tried to relax, to get out the tense aggression he could feel creeping into his voice. “Just family stuff. Let’s talk about something else!” He added with forced brightness before pointing at a random tree across the path, “what kind of tree is that?”

Hansen turned to look at the tree then stared at Connor for a second, blinking. “A-a maple.” he said simply.

Connor laughed with a loose shrug. “Well I know nothing about trees, sorry. Got any cool maple facts?” he laughed again, “like how to recognize one?”

Hansen chuckled, a smile tugging his lips up, and Connor struggled to focus and _not_ lose himself in the sound of Hansen’s laugh. He really didn’t want to embarrass himself by not recognizing a _maple tree_ again.

“Um, well, their leaves are pretty distinctive? I mean-um-here.” he reached up to one of the lowest branches and Connor found himself wholly appreciating how his shirt was pulled tight between his raised arm and where it was tucked in to his khakis.

Hansen plucked one of the leaves off the branch and handed it to Connor, sitting next to him on the log. Leaning close into Connor’s side, he pointed things out as he continued to speak.

Connor’s controlled focus slipped as he noticed how close Hansen’s face was. He took Hansen’s attention being directed at the leaf as an opportunity to study him. The short gold hair waving slightly in the breeze, the small amount of freckles scattered over his cheeks, the long, pale eyelashes framing his gorgeous brown eyes.

Catching himself leaning even closer to Hansen, he snapped his attention back to the leaf in his hand. His cheeks burned and he knew they must be as red as Hansen’s had been when they met.

“So you can tell this is a sugar maple from the shade of green,” Hansen was saying, “silver maples and red maples have lighter leaves and black maples are darker on top and more yellow-ish on the bottom.” he flipped the leaf over briefly, his hand brushing lightly against Connors.

Connor returned to watching the way Hansen’s eyes shone while he described all the differences and similarities between the different kinds of maple tree. After he ran out of maple facts to share they sat for a while in silence until the urge to share something - anything - to break it became too strong.

“I’m a total disappointment to my parents. The stoner freak with anger issues to ruin their _perfect family._ ” Hansen startled and looked up at him with a frown, understanding in his eyes. “I mean, my mom at least _tries_ but Larry just assumes I’m always high and don’t care about anything else, it’s like that’s become my entire personality to him. At least Zoe has some kind of real reason to hate me.”

“Zoe hates you?”

Connor felt himself tense at the look on Hansen’s face.

“How do you know my sister?” he demanded.

“Oh-um-well… I’ve-uh-I’ve seen her at-at Jazz Band concerts? C-cause she plays in the Jazz Band.”

_Way to go, you’ve definitely scared him off now._ Mentally kicking himself for freaking Hansen out, Connor took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. “Right. Yeah, she hates me and I don’t really blame her. Everyone hates me, I’m kinda impossible _not_ to hate.” he looked down at the leaf he was still holding and let out a small, unhappy laugh.

Suddenly Hansen’s hand was on his and he was looking up at Connor with the biggest, saddest eyes he’d ever seen. “I don’t hate you.”

Connor felt his heart clench. _Just give it some time._ He knocked his shoulder against Hansen’s gently. “ _Thanks.”_

“Seriously.” Hansen turned to face Connor more fully, his hand tightening around his wrist and his face becoming earnest. “I don’t really have any friends because I’m not good at talking to people - it’s kinda terrifying to be honest - but you’re easy-easier to talk to and it’s nice. I really like talking to you.”

Connor blushed and smiled at Hansen once he processed the rush of words.

“I-um-I should ge-get back to work now but-but I’ll see you again, right?” Flashing him a half-smile, he released his grip on Connor’s wrist - though his hand lingered on Connor’s as he stood.

“Y-y-y-y-yeah. Definitely.” He cringed as his blush deepened.

“Good.” A bright smile lit up Hansen’s face before he turned and continued down the path.

Again Connor watched him until he was out of sight. Looking down with a sigh, he noticed that he was _still_ holding the leaf. With another blush he carefully placed it in his sketchbook before putting that back in his bag and laying down on the log for a nap. He didn’t want to head back home _just yet_.


End file.
